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From Dolce, With Love - Episode 3
⭠ last episode | Episode 3 | next episode ⭢
Chloe: I've heard it since earlier today, but Deathly Delights sure is a heck of a name! Have you had some before, Rustica?
Rustica: Several times, yes. A burst of unparalleled sweetness and flavour assaults all your senses. It sends a shock to your system, like bzzzt! I must admit, it truly was quite the experience.
I wonder if that was all scientifically calculated too? It felt like an aphrodisiac that torments the heart, an unforgettable experience to long for forevermore.
Shylock: Fervent fans of his creations swarmed sweet shops, clamouring and demanding for more to be sold.
Any stock instantly sold out the moment it arrived, to the point where these sweets were dubbed 'phantom sweets' by the people...
Rustica: That was testament to the quality of these sweets — each and every one of them was a masterpiece. Overnight, Dr Dolce became the man of the moment, for his name had spread far and wide, far beyond academia.
Chloe: Oh, wow... He really was a famous patissier!
I wish I could've had a Deathly Delight of my own to savour! I wonder if he'll let me have some at his workshop?
Murr: The invitation was for a wizard with red eyes, right? You going, Shylock?
Shylock: Let's see... I wonder.
[ Magical Manor - Courtyard ]
Mithra: Dr Dolce? Oh......
Rutile: Mithra san, did you know? It's the person who sent Owen san an invitation.
Mithra: Yes, sort of. Tiletta loved that person's dessert creations and used to gorge herself on them.
Mitile: M-Mother did!?
Sheep: Baa—!
Lennox: Mitile, you're squeezing the sheep. It's startled.
Mitile: Oh... Sorry! I got excited and ended up hugging it really tight.
Riquet: Mithra. What sort of dessert did Mitile and Rutile's mother like?
I wonder if her preferences were similar to theirs? Perhaps she was fond of baked goods like bitter lemon pie, or even sweet potato cupcakes?
Mithra: No, it was more towards quirky stuff. For example, there were some that looked like tall cones of swirled cream in bizarre colours, topped with what looked like a monster's eyeball.
Rutile & Mitile & Riquet: An eyeball...?
Lennox: I've heard of Dr Dolce's creations too, while I was on my journey. He certainly had his own style for colors and shape, but people couldn’t stop raving about the world-class taste.
By the time you realised it, you'd have fallen victim to your cravings, and you'd want more, no matter the time or place...
Rutile: I see. It is said that cooking isn't all about presentation and plating.
Mitile: I can't even imagine what an eyeball dessert would look like... But if Mother loved it, then I want to have a bite too!
Riquet: Am I correct in understanding that the patissier sent an invitation to his workshop to any red-eyed wizard? In that case, Oz might be going.
Mithra: .........
Riquet: I worry that he might not be interested in sweets, and... if he'll be able to pick out something nice and proper for us for when he returns.
Rutile: Oh, Leno san, you happen to have lovely red eyes yourself. Are you not interested in going?
Lennox: I do think it's an opportunity that one shouldn't skip, but we've already planned to go camping on that day itself.
I've asked Figaro sensei to go in my stead. He did say he’s read Dr Dolce's books before.
Rutile: Oh, I see! Then I'll look forward to hearing Figaro sensei tell us all about his trip!
Mithra: I'll go too. Please look forward to my tale, too.
Lennox: You too, Mithra?
Mitile: Were you personally invited by Owen san?
Mithra: No. But isn't it strange to say red-eye-something-or-other, invite Oz, and not invite me?
I'll go in that guy's stead. I'll bring back sweet treats that'll satisfy all of you better than anything Oz could ever pick out.
Riquet: Really!? Thank you very much, Mithra!
Mitile: And...! If you happen to see the desserts Mother loved to eat, could you please bring them back for me as souvenirs?
Rutile: I'd like some too — desserts with curious designs that get you going back for more!
Riquet: Me too! And... And do try your best to play nice with Dr Dolce.
We can't go along with you this time, but if you befriend him, we might just be invited to his workshop once again, see?
Mithra: Most certainly. Oz can't do that as cleverly as I can. I'll show you what I can do.
Rutile & Mitile & Riquet: Yay!
[ Magical Manor - Main Hall ]
Arthur: Oz sama, Cain, are you two okay with not going on the outing to that workshop?
Oz: I have no interest in sweets. Moreover, we have a mission to undertake that very same day.
Cain: Yeah, and only one of my eyes is red. It being like this wasn't even consensual, either.
I think Riquet already asked Mithra to bring back enough sweets to go around for us Central Wizards. So let's just sit back and look forward to it!
Oz: Why Mithra...
Oz: In the first place, it's suspicious. Owen does not engage others easily. I find it hard to imagine someone out there would invite him to visit.
Cain: Hmm... But it's also easier to get along with someone if you both like the same things, no?
Like how the both of us became drinking buddies!
Oz: You and I, drinking buddies...?
Cain: Maybe it's something like that. That doctor-or-something and Owen both have a sweet tooth, and they somehow hit it off.
Owen might be unreasonable and terrible, but whenever he's eating sweet stuff, he's much better behaved than he usually is, and doesn't say mean things.
It's because his mouth is stuffed full, so he can't really talk.
Arthur: That's true. Some time ago, I had a chat with Owen about pancakes, and it did seem like he was much more pleasant than usual.
A wizard's workshop belonging to someone who might be Owen's dessert buddy, huh... I'd like to hear all about it from everyone once they're back!
[ Magical Manor - Meeting Lounge ]
Snow: It seems like everyone is all abuzz over Dr Dolce. And speaking of Dr Dolce, he's an eccentric person constantly surrounded by rumours most bizarre.
White: He'd get his hands on children who had nobody to turn to, and replace all of their blood with fresh cream...
Snow: And he'd mix up a concoction of children's blood with sugar, bring it to a boil, and that's what people say the layers of jam that sit atop his cookies are made from...
White: No one knows why he did what he did, but he has quite the cruel streak.
Bradley: What are you two going on about? Your methods may differ, but the atrocities you two have committed would give this dude a run for his money.
Snow: Bradley chan, you meanie!
White: We might play around with the lives of others, but we certainly don't torment and harass them without reason!
Bradley: Hah! Beats me if these rumours got any truth to them, but whatever the case may be, someone acquainted with Owen ain't gonna be some Mr Nice Guy.
He's probably had so much sugary sweets his brains caramelised.
Snow: Well, setting personality aside... There's no doubt that Dr Dolce’s sweet creations are all first-rate.
White: Every last one of his Deathly Delights are to die for!
Snow: And so, we have a little request for Bradley of the stylishly red eyes.
Snow & White: Go to the workshop, and bring back lots of souvenirs~!
Bradley: How about no. I don't know or care how famous these sweets are. The only treat for the Great Bradley is good ol' fried chicken.
Snow & White: Selfish meanie~!
Snow: Well...... Instead of relying on someone from Camp Chicken, we should just ask Owen from Camp Sweet Tooth. That's more practical anyway.
White: That's right, that's right! Let's go cajole and praise and butter him up until he's in a sugary-sweet mood!
[ Magical Manor - Room Corridor ]
Akira: Everyone sure is talking about Dr Dolce. I think there's a good number of us going to the workshop too…
Akira: (Dr Dolce might have his quirks, but which wizard doesn't?)
(And besides, we might get to sample the sweets that took the world by storm. Somehow, the thought of that excites me.)
With a skip in my step, I headed down the corridor in thought.
As I passed the library, I saw Figaro and Faust in discussion.
Akira: Good evening, you two. Are you prepping for class? You've got a lot of books lined up here.
Faust: Oh, Kenja. It's you.
Figaro: We were just discussing our little workshop excursion. Both of us will be coming along as well.
Akira: Ah, right! I was just thinking about that myself.
I look forward to the trip more with each passing day. It'll be livelier if you two were to join us!
Figaro: Ahaha, I can tell that everyone's excited. You seem to be having fun too. If that's the case, we ought to be on our best behaviour.
Faust: Yes. We're not exactly there to monitor your every move, but it's just in case of trouble.
Akira: ...? Is there something I should be concerned about?
Faust: No, it's nothing. It's just that we should exercise caution if we were to visit the Dr's workshop.
Figaro: You can simply assume we're being overly concerned. It's just that there's no smoke without fire. There's no guarantee that the strange rumours surrounding Dr Dolce are all false.
Faust and Figaro exchanged glances. Then, after some deliberation, they looked towards me.
Faust: Dr Dolce is well-versed in various fields, from magical theory to medicine, and he is well-known in many circles. Even I have heard of him.
He may be an eccentric person, but he's consistent — he writes treatises and gets them published every few years, but...
[ BGM dies down ]
Faust: It has been a hundred years since the last one.
Akira: A century?... Was that when Dr Dolce quit sweetmaking as well?
Figaro: Yep, that's right. Since then, he's never once resurfaced.
[ BGM starts ]
Figaro: It's hard to imagine someone like him, who wants his moment in the spotlight, going radio silent for the past century or so. He even stopped writing his books. People wondered what sort of research he'd gotten himself involved in.
Faust: It's known that he performs many risky experiments, and he’s had his fair share of brushes with death.
Honestly, if I hadn't heard his name the other day, I'd have continued to think that he'd already quietly turned to stone somewhere.
In addition, he's someone who is a master of both magic and science. I'm pretty sure his workshop will be filled with many unknowns.
Akira: I've heard a lot about him by now, and I think... he really is an eccentric sorta guy...
I was pretty excited for the trip, but is there a chance we’re actually going to a pretty dangerous place?
Episode 4 ⭢
Chloe: I've heard it since earlier today, but Deathly Delights sure is a heck of a name! Have you had some before, Rustica?
Rustica: Several times, yes. A burst of unparalleled sweetness and flavour assaults all your senses. It sends a shock to your system, like bzzzt! I must admit, it truly was quite the experience.
I wonder if that was all scientifically calculated too? It felt like an aphrodisiac that torments the heart, an unforgettable experience to long for forevermore.
Shylock: Fervent fans of his creations swarmed sweet shops, clamouring and demanding for more to be sold.
Any stock instantly sold out the moment it arrived, to the point where these sweets were dubbed 'phantom sweets' by the people...
Rustica: That was testament to the quality of these sweets — each and every one of them was a masterpiece. Overnight, Dr Dolce became the man of the moment, for his name had spread far and wide, far beyond academia.
Chloe: Oh, wow... He really was a famous patissier!
I wish I could've had a Deathly Delight of my own to savour! I wonder if he'll let me have some at his workshop?
Murr: The invitation was for a wizard with red eyes, right? You going, Shylock?
Shylock: Let's see... I wonder.
[ Magical Manor - Courtyard ]
Mithra: Dr Dolce? Oh......
Rutile: Mithra san, did you know? It's the person who sent Owen san an invitation.
Mithra: Yes, sort of. Tiletta loved that person's dessert creations and used to gorge herself on them.
Mitile: M-Mother did!?
Sheep: Baa—!
Lennox: Mitile, you're squeezing the sheep. It's startled.
Mitile: Oh... Sorry! I got excited and ended up hugging it really tight.
Riquet: Mithra. What sort of dessert did Mitile and Rutile's mother like?
I wonder if her preferences were similar to theirs? Perhaps she was fond of baked goods like bitter lemon pie, or even sweet potato cupcakes?
Mithra: No, it was more towards quirky stuff. For example, there were some that looked like tall cones of swirled cream in bizarre colours, topped with what looked like a monster's eyeball.
Rutile & Mitile & Riquet: An eyeball...?
Lennox: I've heard of Dr Dolce's creations too, while I was on my journey. He certainly had his own style for colors and shape, but people couldn’t stop raving about the world-class taste.
By the time you realised it, you'd have fallen victim to your cravings, and you'd want more, no matter the time or place...
Rutile: I see. It is said that cooking isn't all about presentation and plating.
Mitile: I can't even imagine what an eyeball dessert would look like... But if Mother loved it, then I want to have a bite too!
Riquet: Am I correct in understanding that the patissier sent an invitation to his workshop to any red-eyed wizard? In that case, Oz might be going.
Mithra: .........
Riquet: I worry that he might not be interested in sweets, and... if he'll be able to pick out something nice and proper for us for when he returns.
Rutile: Oh, Leno san, you happen to have lovely red eyes yourself. Are you not interested in going?
Lennox: I do think it's an opportunity that one shouldn't skip, but we've already planned to go camping on that day itself.
I've asked Figaro sensei to go in my stead. He did say he’s read Dr Dolce's books before.
Rutile: Oh, I see! Then I'll look forward to hearing Figaro sensei tell us all about his trip!
Mithra: I'll go too. Please look forward to my tale, too.
Lennox: You too, Mithra?
Mitile: Were you personally invited by Owen san?
Mithra: No. But isn't it strange to say red-eye-something-or-other, invite Oz, and not invite me?
I'll go in that guy's stead. I'll bring back sweet treats that'll satisfy all of you better than anything Oz could ever pick out.
Riquet: Really!? Thank you very much, Mithra!
Mitile: And...! If you happen to see the desserts Mother loved to eat, could you please bring them back for me as souvenirs?
Rutile: I'd like some too — desserts with curious designs that get you going back for more!
Riquet: Me too! And... And do try your best to play nice with Dr Dolce.
We can't go along with you this time, but if you befriend him, we might just be invited to his workshop once again, see?
Mithra: Most certainly. Oz can't do that as cleverly as I can. I'll show you what I can do.
Rutile & Mitile & Riquet: Yay!
[ Magical Manor - Main Hall ]
Arthur: Oz sama, Cain, are you two okay with not going on the outing to that workshop?
Oz: I have no interest in sweets. Moreover, we have a mission to undertake that very same day.
Cain: Yeah, and only one of my eyes is red. It being like this wasn't even consensual, either.
I think Riquet already asked Mithra to bring back enough sweets to go around for us Central Wizards. So let's just sit back and look forward to it!
Oz: Why Mithra...
Oz: In the first place, it's suspicious. Owen does not engage others easily. I find it hard to imagine someone out there would invite him to visit.
Cain: Hmm... But it's also easier to get along with someone if you both like the same things, no?
Like how the both of us became drinking buddies!
Oz: You and I, drinking buddies...?
Cain: Maybe it's something like that. That doctor-or-something and Owen both have a sweet tooth, and they somehow hit it off.
Owen might be unreasonable and terrible, but whenever he's eating sweet stuff, he's much better behaved than he usually is, and doesn't say mean things.
It's because his mouth is stuffed full, so he can't really talk.
Arthur: That's true. Some time ago, I had a chat with Owen about pancakes, and it did seem like he was much more pleasant than usual.
A wizard's workshop belonging to someone who might be Owen's dessert buddy, huh... I'd like to hear all about it from everyone once they're back!
[ Magical Manor - Meeting Lounge ]
Snow: It seems like everyone is all abuzz over Dr Dolce. And speaking of Dr Dolce, he's an eccentric person constantly surrounded by rumours most bizarre.
White: He'd get his hands on children who had nobody to turn to, and replace all of their blood with fresh cream...
Snow: And he'd mix up a concoction of children's blood with sugar, bring it to a boil, and that's what people say the layers of jam that sit atop his cookies are made from...
White: No one knows why he did what he did, but he has quite the cruel streak.
Bradley: What are you two going on about? Your methods may differ, but the atrocities you two have committed would give this dude a run for his money.
Snow: Bradley chan, you meanie!
White: We might play around with the lives of others, but we certainly don't torment and harass them without reason!
Bradley: Hah! Beats me if these rumours got any truth to them, but whatever the case may be, someone acquainted with Owen ain't gonna be some Mr Nice Guy.
He's probably had so much sugary sweets his brains caramelised.
Snow: Well, setting personality aside... There's no doubt that Dr Dolce’s sweet creations are all first-rate.
White: Every last one of his Deathly Delights are to die for!
Snow: And so, we have a little request for Bradley of the stylishly red eyes.
Snow & White: Go to the workshop, and bring back lots of souvenirs~!
Bradley: How about no. I don't know or care how famous these sweets are. The only treat for the Great Bradley is good ol' fried chicken.
Snow & White: Selfish meanie~!
Snow: Well...... Instead of relying on someone from Camp Chicken, we should just ask Owen from Camp Sweet Tooth. That's more practical anyway.
White: That's right, that's right! Let's go cajole and praise and butter him up until he's in a sugary-sweet mood!
[ Magical Manor - Room Corridor ]
Akira: Everyone sure is talking about Dr Dolce. I think there's a good number of us going to the workshop too…
Akira: (Dr Dolce might have his quirks, but which wizard doesn't?)
(And besides, we might get to sample the sweets that took the world by storm. Somehow, the thought of that excites me.)
With a skip in my step, I headed down the corridor in thought.
As I passed the library, I saw Figaro and Faust in discussion.
Akira: Good evening, you two. Are you prepping for class? You've got a lot of books lined up here.
Faust: Oh, Kenja. It's you.
Figaro: We were just discussing our little workshop excursion. Both of us will be coming along as well.
Akira: Ah, right! I was just thinking about that myself.
I look forward to the trip more with each passing day. It'll be livelier if you two were to join us!
Figaro: Ahaha, I can tell that everyone's excited. You seem to be having fun too. If that's the case, we ought to be on our best behaviour.
Faust: Yes. We're not exactly there to monitor your every move, but it's just in case of trouble.
Akira: ...? Is there something I should be concerned about?
Faust: No, it's nothing. It's just that we should exercise caution if we were to visit the Dr's workshop.
Figaro: You can simply assume we're being overly concerned. It's just that there's no smoke without fire. There's no guarantee that the strange rumours surrounding Dr Dolce are all false.
Faust and Figaro exchanged glances. Then, after some deliberation, they looked towards me.
Faust: Dr Dolce is well-versed in various fields, from magical theory to medicine, and he is well-known in many circles. Even I have heard of him.
He may be an eccentric person, but he's consistent — he writes treatises and gets them published every few years, but...
[ BGM dies down ]
Faust: It has been a hundred years since the last one.
Akira: A century?... Was that when Dr Dolce quit sweetmaking as well?
Figaro: Yep, that's right. Since then, he's never once resurfaced.
[ BGM starts ]
Figaro: It's hard to imagine someone like him, who wants his moment in the spotlight, going radio silent for the past century or so. He even stopped writing his books. People wondered what sort of research he'd gotten himself involved in.
Faust: It's known that he performs many risky experiments, and he’s had his fair share of brushes with death.
Honestly, if I hadn't heard his name the other day, I'd have continued to think that he'd already quietly turned to stone somewhere.
In addition, he's someone who is a master of both magic and science. I'm pretty sure his workshop will be filled with many unknowns.
Akira: I've heard a lot about him by now, and I think... he really is an eccentric sorta guy...
I was pretty excited for the trip, but is there a chance we’re actually going to a pretty dangerous place?
Episode 4 ⭢